Chain pipe-wrench.



G AMBORN. CHAIN PIPE WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1907.

' Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

WITNESSES:

nus NORRIS PL YERS ca., WASHINGTON. o. c,

G. AMBORN. GHAI'N PIPE WRENGH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1907.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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INVENTOR m fikl v 5 3a m UNITED sfrnrrs PATENT ormon.

GEORGE AMBORN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO I. H. WILLIAMS & (10., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE AMBORN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain Pipe-Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chain pipe wrenches and devices of like character, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In devices of this kind a chain is employed which is usually pivoted at one end to the wrench, the free or loose end being passed around the pipe and locked'on the opposite side of the wrench. The chain is usually formed with a series of pintles which project laterally therefrom, such pintles being brought into engagement wit-h locking faces formed upon the jaw or handle of the wrench. By bringing one or another of the pintles into engagement with the lock, the length of the loop of the chain which passes around the pipe can be adjusted so as to suit the device to different sizes of pipe. It has been found impracticable, however, to provide for any nicer adjustment than that which corresponds to the distance between the pintles. For this reason the wrench is often used in disadvantageous positions, the chain being extended at such an angle that the pipe is improperly gripped.

According to my invention I provide a locking means by which the chain may be adjusted in positions which are spaced apart less than the distance between two of the locking pintles, and preferably about half such distance so that an accurate adjustment may be made in all positions of the chain. This also enables the wear to be distributed over all of the teeth instead of being restricted to a part of such teeth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of my invention, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of the wrench embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the chain in one of the positions of use; Fig. 3 is a similar elevation illustrating the chain in another of its positions; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the inner side of one of the jaws, the handle being shown in section; Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a similar section on the line 66 in Fig. 2.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with a wrench having two laterally separated jaws A, A which are bolted to the bifurcated end of a suitable handle B, the chain O being pivoted between the jaws in the slot of the handle as shown. The jaws A, A are each formed with working faces a, a so that upon reversing the wrench and swinging the chain to the opposite side such working faces may be brought alternately mto operation.

The chain O is formed of a series of links I), Z), the connecting pivots of which are extended beyond the sides of the links to form locking pintles c, c. The handle or jaws of the wrench are usually provided with a hook-like member 'or members adapted to engage the pintles of the chain and thus securely hold the same in use. In chain wrenches of this type it has not heretofore been possible to obtain any closer adjustment than that which corresponds to the distance between such successive pintles. The latter are necessarily so closely spaced as to prevent either the successful use of an intermediate pintle between the ends of the links, or the employment of a second look spaced apart from the first a distance less than the distance between the pintles.

By my present invention, however, I provide means by which such closer adjustments can be obtained. To this end I preferably provide two contiguously arranged locks, but instead of spacing them apart a distance less than the space between the engaging faces of the pintles, I so space them that they are separated a greater space than two successive pintles, but less than the distance between one pintle and the second one following it. I preferably also provide means whereby the position of the chain may be so varied that in one position it in efiect is shortened, so that a capability of adjustment is obtained. Preferably I make use of both methods of adjustment, although either may be separately employed if desired. In the preferred construction, which is best illustrated in Fig. 4, I provide two locks D and E, each of which is formed as a hook-like member having a recess at its rear for engaging the pintle of the chain. In Fig. 2 the chain is illustrated in engagement with the lock D. In this position the next adjacent pintle to the rear rests upon the forward wall of the lock E in an inclined position, the forward end of the link extending into a recess f formed in the handle. If it is desired that the chain be made slightly looser, the forward pintle is removed from the lock D, and the second pintle to the rear is brought into engagement with the lock E, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the intermediate pintle still occupies the position between the two locks and the forward pintle is moved over so that it engages the front face of the lock D. It will be noted that in this position the chain is moved outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the wrench, so that it is in effect shortened, this position being main tained by the engagement of the forward pintle with the front face of the lock D. If it is desired to further loosen the chain, the intermediate pintle is brought into engagement with the lock D, the rear pintle being previously slipped out of engagement with the lock E into the position occupied by the intermediate pintle in Fig. 2.

It is important that the front lock shall be located at a point nearer the longitudinal axis of the wrench than the rear lock. By so doing, the length and breadth of the jaws may be maintained at the present standards, while still retaining the very desirable feature of the concave bearing face h, which is used in practice for gaging the length of chain. It will be understood that in a reversible wrench of the type illustrated, the locks D, E will be duplicated on the opposite side of the wrench, as illustrated at D, E, Fig. 4.

It will be understood that the spacing of the locks will be determined with reference to the shape of the front face of the lock D; in the construction shown the locks are spaced approximately one and one-half the distance between the engaging faces of two adjacent pintles, but this may be varied as desired. For instance, the locks may be spaced a distance approximating two and one-half times the distance between the pin tles, or even a greater number of times.

By the use of my invention the wrench may not only be fitted accurately to any size of pipe, but the wear may be distributed over the entire series of teeth by varying the ad justment of the chain so as to bring the aws into successive positions with relation to the pipe. IVith the means of adjustment now in use the teeth are found to wear very unevenly, because the wear is borne by only a few of the teeth.

lVhile I have shown my invention as applied to a double-jawed wrench having a centrally pivoted chain, it is obvious that it is not limited to this construction of wrench. It is applicable to any type of chain wrench or chain vise wherein the chain is provided with pintles or other locking faces which are adapted to engage locks formed upon the jaw, handle or other suitable part of the structure. It is also obvious that my invention is not limited to any particular form of lock, that shown being only one illustration of the lock which is suitable for the purpose.

I do not specifically claim herein. the present features of invention as applied to a wrench having double-ended reversible jaws, since this forms the subject matter of an application filed by me on April 2, 1908, Serial No. 424,782.

hat I claim is 1. In a chain wrench or the like, a jaw, a

chain having a series of closely arranged engaging faces, and two successive locks arranged on one side of the device and spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between two successive engaging faces of the chain.

2. In a chain wrench or the like, a jaw, a chain having a series of pintles, and two successive' locks arranged on the same side of the device, such locks being adapted to engage said pintles and being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to one and one half times the distance between the engaging faces of such pintles.

3. In a chain wrench or the like, a jaw, a chain having a series of closely arranged engaging faces, and two successive locks arranged on one side of the device and spaced apart a distance greater thanthe distance between two successive engaging faces of the chain, the forward lock being arranged nearer to the longitudinal axis of the wrench than the rearward lock.

4. In a chain wrench or the like, the combination of a handle, a pair of laterally separated jaws, a chain pivoted between said jaws and having a series of pintles, and two successive locks arranged on the same side of the wrench, such locks being separated a distance approximating one and one half times the distance between the engaging faces of the pintles, and each lock comprising locking faces formed on the inner sides of said jaws.

5. In a chain wrench or the like, the combination of a handle, a pair of laterally separated jaws, a chain pivoted between said jaws and having a series of pintles, and two locks arranged on the same side of the wrench, such locks being separated a distance approximating one and one half times the distance between the engaging faces of the pintles, the forward lock being arranged nearer to the longitudinal axis of the wrench than the rearward lock, and each lock comprising locking faces formed on the inner sides of said jaws.

6. In a chain wrench or the like, the combination of a jaw, a chain having a series of engaging faces, and means for adjusting the chain in a plurality of different positions, such means including two locks having re cesses adapted to be engaged by such faces, and spaced apart a distance which differs from that between two successive faces of the chain, the front lock having a face on its front side against which the chain rests when the latter engages the rear lock, said face being further from the longitudinal axis of the wrench than the front locking recess.

7. In a chain wrench or the like, the com bination of a jaw, a chain having a series of pintles, and means for adjusting the chain in a plurality of different positions, such means including means for engaging the chain at a point further from the longitudinal axis of the wrench in one position than in another, and two successive locks spaced apart a distance approximately equal to one and one-half times the distance between the engaging faces of the chain pintles.

ing a series of pintles and two successive locks on said jaws the forward one of which is nearer the longitudinal axis of the wrench than the other, so as to extend below said bearing face.

9. In a chain wrench of the character described, and in combination with the chain and its elongated pivot pins, of two pairs of oppositely placed lugs in the line of the tension or pull of the chain spaced apart slightly further than the distance between the pivot pins whereby when one pivot pin is in engagement with one pair of lugs, the pin next nearer the gripped object is closely adjacent to and in advance of the next pair of lugs as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE AMBORN.

Witnesses EUGENE V. MYERS, THEODORE T. SNELL. 

